App-nesia in the The need for app re-engagement marketing Ipsos, March 2015
Background In our mobile-first world, brands know it s key to build an app and offer a fantastic user experience. A great app should encourage brand interaction and keep customers coming back. But what about when they stop coming back This research looks to explore how common it is to forget about installed apps, how keen people are to re-engage with these apps, and how brands might go about achieving this re-engagement. 2
App-nesia in the 3
Key findings: forgotten apps One in five apps across travel, retails and restaurants are forgotten Remembered and forgotten apps are downloaded for similar reasons; brands have an opportunity to remind people about the relevance of their app using a variety of techniques beyond push notifications, including search advertising 47% prefer to use an app when they want information quickly (compared to 17% who prefer a mobile site) The most common driver to use an app again is talking to friends or families about apps The most likely apps to be forgotten are travel and holiday apps 4
Snapshot of app behaviour With high search frequency and a fairly high forgetting rate, app reengagement solutions seem most relevant to Shopping. Restaurant/ Takeaways Travel Shopping % of smartphone users with any apps (from offline enumeration study) 15% 33% 32% % with any apps in vertical that search in that vertical via mobile at least once a month 80% 56% 92% Average number of apps installed 2.07 2.74 2.90 1 app only installed 47% 38% 20% 2-3 apps installed 40% 35% 52% 4-5 apps installed 11% 15% 20% 6+ apps installed 3% 11% 9% Average number of forgotten apps 0.36 0.91 0.52 % of apps installed that have been forgotten 17% 33% 18% Source: Q1A. How frequently would you say you conduct searches via a search engine on your phone for [CATEGORY]?/ Q1. Which of the following types of app do you have installed on your smartphone?/q2_app RECALL. Which [CATEGORY] apps do you have installed on your smartphone? [ ] without looking at your smartphone. / Are there any [CATEGORY] apps that you had previously missed from the list? Base: All respondents (n=394; n=334; n=413). 5
Those with travel and holiday apps are the most likely to forget at least one app in the category Restaurants & Takeaways Travel & Holiday Shopping (A) (B) (C) % forgetting at least one app 23% 49% (A,C) 31% (A) A/B/C Significant higher at 95% confidence level % with 1 app only in the category (inc forgotten) (B, C) (C) 47% 38% 20% Average number of apps in the category (inc forgotten) 2.1 2.7 2.9 (A) (A, B) % Search for the category Daily 9% 8% 25% Weekly 30% 18% 50% (A, B) Source: Q3_APP CHECK. Are there any [CATEGORY] apps that you had previously missed from the list? / Q2_APP RECALL. Which [CATEGORY] apps do you have installed on your smartphone? [ ] without looking at your smartphone. / Q1A_SEARCH FREQUENCY. How frequently would you say you conduct searches via a search engine on your phone for [CATEGORY]? Base: All respondents (n=394; n=334; n=413) 6
There s a higher rate of forgetting amongst travel & holiday apps Forgotten app share (% of installed apps that have been forgotten) 22% of installed apps* are forgotten 17% restaurant & takeaway apps installed are forgotten 33% (A, C) travel & holiday apps installed are forgotten 18% shopping apps installed are forgotten Total *in our verticals Restaurants & Takeaways Travel & Holiday Shopping (A) (B) (C) A/B/C Significant higher at 95% confidence level Source: Q2_APP RECALL. Which [CATEGORY] apps do you have installed on your smartphone? [ ] without looking at your smartphone. / Q3 Are there any [category] apps that you had previously missed from the list? / Base: All respondents (n=1141; n=394; n=334; n=413). 7
9 in 10 of those who have forgotten Travel & Holiday and Shopping apps would be open to use them again Likelihood to use the forgotten app/apps in the future* Non-rejectors (Net Definitely/Probably/ Might or might not) Restaurants & Takeaways Travel & Holiday Shopping 83% 90% 91% Source: Q6 How likely will you use the following app/apps again? Base: All those using the app/apps more then once month ago the last time (n=61; n=178; n=94). 8
Remembered and forgotten apps are downloaded for similar reasons, though people can think of more reasons for having downloaded remembered apps Reasons for downloading the app remembered app vs. forgotten app Regularly use/interact with the company/brand Had a specific need/ interest that can't be fulfilled by the mobile website To complete a purchase/ transaction To access exclusive discounts/rewards Recommended by others It sounded interesting/ fun Suggested to me on a website that I browsed Among the best rated apps in the app store Featured in the app store Saw an online advertisement on my smartphone Saw an online advertisement on a computer/tablet Saw an offline advertisement (TV, print, outdoor) 10% 8% 9% 8% 9% 7% 6% 6% 4% 6% 19% 15% 19% 20% 18% 16% 18% 19% 16% 17% 16% 14% 27% Remembered app 36% Forgotten app Significant higher at 95% confidence level Remembered app vs. forgotten app Source: Q7 For which of the following reasons did you originally download any [category] app? Base: All those forgetting any app in the category (n=370). 9
Motivations for download differ according to category: restaurant apps are more about getting discount / rewards, Travel about recommendations, while Shopping is about brand interaction Reasons for downloading the forgotten app Restaurants & Takeaways Travel & Holiday Shopping To access exclusive discounts/rewards 34% Recommended by others 21% Regularly use/interact with the company/brand 44% Regularly use/interact with the company/brand 28% Had a specific need/ interest that can't be fulfilled by the mobile website 18% To complete a purchase/ transaction 34% Recommended by others 26% It sounded interesting/ fun 17% To access exclusive discounts/rewards 17% To complete a purchase/ transaction 21% Regularly use/interact with the company/brand 12% Suggested to me on a website that I browsed 16% Suggested to me on a website that I browsed 20% To complete a purchase/ transaction 8% It sounded interesting/ fun 14% Source: Q7 For which of the following reasons did you originally download any [category] app? Base: All those forgetting any app in the category (n=119; n=159; n=164). 10
Re-engaging app users 11
Key findings: re-engaging with apps Objective: To understand reactions to the Google re-engagement concept Strong interest in being directed to a preinstalled app in mobile search results, especially among those who've forgotten apps. An app is perceived as simpler, quicker and more personalised and useful for quicker, more transactional tasks During category specific search behaviours, nearly half of participants said that they would prefer a link to an app and just over a third said they would prefer a link to a mobile website A mobile website is seen as more in-depth and would be used to compare options or for information gathering 12
Apps are generally preferred for speed and a better user experience, while mobile websites are preferred if more in-depth information is required Situations when preferring the app vs. mobile website (%) When I want information quickly 47 35 17 When I need to complete a task or transaction quickly 47 39 14 When I have poor wi-fi or 3G connection 34 49 18 When I m looking for something specific 27 43 30 When I m browsing/looking for inspiration 23 46 31 When I m concerned about the security of my personal information 21 56 24 When I want to compare options 19 49 32 When I need a lot of information 14 37 49 Prefer to use an app No preference Prefer to use a mobile website Source: Q17_FORMAT. Which of the following situations would you prefer to use an app and in which would you prefer to use mobile websites? Base: All respondents (n=1141) 13
Those preferring the app find it simpler/quicker, while the website provides more in-depth information Reasons for preferring the mobile website (%) 16 Reasons for preferring the app (%) Mobile websites contain more information Mobile websites are simpler to navigate than apps Opening the mobile website would be faster than loading an app I d be worried that I would have to log in to the app 15% 31% 29% 46% 35 Prefer to click on the link to the app Prefer to click on the link to the website Don t know 49 51% 50% 46% 22% Apps I have installed will have my login details pre-entered and save me time Apps are simpler to navigate than mobile websites Apps are quicker to load than mobile websites If I forget I have installed the app already, it is useful to be reminded I d be worried it wouldn t take me to the right page in the app 12% 21% 17% There are often deals available inside apps Apps often contain additional or exclusive content 1. Source: Q8NEW Which would you prefer to click on? Base: All respondents (n=1141) / 14 Q9 Why would you prefer to click on the link to the company s app (instead of the mobile website)? / Base: All those preferring the app (n=561) / Q10 Why would you prefer to click on the link to the company s mobile website (instead of the app)? / Base: All those preferring the website (n=401)
Appendix 15
Methodology A quantitative online survey run in the using the Ipsos online panel : 1. An offline omnibus survey was conducted amongst a nationally representative sample of the full adult population (1,950 interviews). This provided the online survey quotas and weighting targets to provide a representative sample of smartphone users aged 16 and over within each vertical. Each vertical is made up of smartphone users having at least one app within the app category. 2. ~400 online interviews were administered in each of the three app verticals (Restaurants & Takeaways, Travel & Holiday and Shopping) with quotas and weighting applied from the offline omnibus to make each app category representative by mobile OS, age, gender and working status. 3. Online fieldwork was conducted between13 th -30 th January 2015. 16
Incidence of app categories amongst smartphone users (Source: offline enumeration study) Restaurants and take-aways 15% Travel Shopping 33% 32% Social and communication apps 62% News and references apps Photo sharing apps Media or entertainment Games or gaming- related apps 43% 40% 37% 36% Finance, insurance and banking apps 30% Health and fitness (apps to monitor Local services apps Productivity apps None of these 19% 17% 14% 10% Source: 3_SMARTPHONE APP USAGE Which of the following types of app do you have installed on your smartphone? (from offline enumeration study). Base: All 17 smartphone users (n=1024).
Weighting schemes from the offline enumeration study 400 online interviews were administered in each of the three app verticals (Restaurants & Takeaways, Travel & Holiday and Shopping) with quotas and weighting applied from the offline omnibus to make each app category representative by mobile OS, age, gender and working status. Smartphone users with at least 1 app in Restaurants & Takeaways (n~400) Smartphone users with at least 1 app in Travel & Holiday (n~400) Smartphone users with at least 1 app in Shopping (n~400) 15% of all smartphone users 33% of all smartphone users 32% of all smartphone users 16-24 with Android 13% 6% 9% 25-34 with Android 7% 9% 11% 35-44 with Android 7% 6% 6% 45-54 with Android 6% 9% 9% 55-64 with Android 6% 7% 5% 65+ with Android 2% 3% 1% 16-24 with ios 17% 12% 18% 25-34 with ios 19% 18% 14% 35-44 with ios 9% 12% 14% 45-54 with ios 8% 11% 9% 55-64 with ios 4% 6% 2% 65+ with ios 2% 1% 2% Males with Android 24% 20% 17% Females with Android 17% 20% 24% Males with ios 28% 30% 24% Females with ios 31% 30% 35% Daily internet users with Android 37% 35% 37% Less-than-daily Internet users with Android 2% 4% 4% Daily internet users with ios 59% 58% 56% Less-than-daily Internet users with ios 2% 3% 3% Employed with Android 25% 27% 27% Self-employed with Android 2% 2% 2% Other with Android 14% 10% 12% Employed with ios 41% 42% 40% Self-employed with ios 2% 4% 2% Other with ios 16% 15% 17% 18